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Learn what separates winners from whiners and make plans to start winning in life. Start today by making a list of what is not going to be acceptable in your life any longer.

Once you examine your motivation and desire, you may discover that self-control — even discipline — may be needed to improve your productivity. Whether you are seeking improvement in your professional or personal life, you may have to make sacrifices in order to accomplish a greater good. How do you begin?

The first step is to assess what needs to be done. Analyze your long-term objectives as well as your short-term goals. Next, you have to focus in on what is preventing or slowing down your journey to success. At this point, certain activities, attitudes and maybe even people will be labeled “no longer acceptables” (NLAs). The NLAs are distractions to achieving your goals; they are things that you want to get rid of. You don’t merely want to get rid of these no longer acceptables — you want to make sure they stay out of your life.

The problem is, so many people merely say they want to make changes in life, but don’t actually have the desire or self-control to see the operation through. It’s too bad, because deciding to make these positive changes is a step in the right direction. Adjusting your perspective and formulating a strategic plan could improve the quality of your life and those of others. Why the hesitance to completely do away with
the NLAs? You might think of these NLAs as addictive substances, even if they are not tangible properties. Make a choice to get rid of the no longer acceptables and then take action on the things that produce the results you want.

Self-limiting beliefs

One example of an NLA is a self-limiting belief. This is beyond just pessimistic thinking. When you follow self-limiting beliefs, you actually inhibit your own potential. Self-limiting beliefs restrict a person’s inhibitions as well as their confidence. They start to think that opportunity escapes them, perhaps even that they are doomed to a life of failure because of the circumstances that have been dealt to them. Do you sense the dogmatic attitude here? They are unwilling to try, having already blamed their failure on someone else. A lack of ambition is not the only problem in this scenario. The same people who take on self-limiting beliefs also keep jobs they do not enjoy and stay in dysfunctional relationships. It’s a continuing cycle of misery. Therefore, if you are serious about changing your life, then getting rid of these attitudes — these damaging NLAs — is the very first step.

It would behoove you to stop thinking of any lack of accomplishments as failure. You still have time to make a difference and to pursue your dreams. Be thankful that now you realize you have a golden opportunity and the right perspective to make it happen. Now you move on to the next step of NLAs.
Excuses

Your first reaction to a great idea may be an excuse of why it wouldn’t work and why you should just give up or not try. Instead of giving
up your idea because of a few good excuses, use those excuses as critical dummy missiles so that you can rework and reinforce your idea.

Ways to eliminate NLAS

Experts suggest that it may help to write down 10 no longer acceptables in your life. By identifying them, you can more clearly see how and why these behaviors should be eliminated. What are some common NLAs that continue to disrupt otherwise great plans for change?

Sometimes, they are manifested in negative attitudes, such as a lack of confidence or a tendency to procrastinate. You may even find that some actions like sleeping late or overeating have compromised your new plan. Sometimes, NLAs may come in the form of a negative person challenging your goals or laughing at your dreams. In this case, it’s not necessary to cut out the person from your life entirely. (Though in extreme cases of abuse, naturally, it should be an option.) Rather, it is to avoid that line of discussion. NLAs may even turn out to be objects that waste too much of your valuable time.

You know what your NLAs are. They are an addiction that continues to taunt you, robbing you of joy and silencing your most enthusiastic resolves. Now that you have identified them, what does it take to get rid of these negative factors?

One method of defense is the Pareto Principle, which teaches that 80 percent of your return should be based on 20 percent effort. If you apply this rule in your everyday life, then you will save time and energy, maximizing your results. Considering that most people have this logic the other way around (80 percent effort for 20 percent return), this puts you in an advantage. Considering your personal life or business in this context may cause you to re-evaluate your schedule.

Finally, stay focused on your goals. You are not pre-destined to a life of misery and failure. You can decide to start living and pursuing all the things that make you happy. Realizing that you have limited space for priorities and that the no longer acceptables do not fit into your plans (think consolidation!), you will find your road to success a much lighter path.

Learn what separates winners from whiners and make plans to start winning in life. Start today by making a list of what is not going to be acceptable in your life any longer. After you made your list, take action on getting those out of your life — permanently. Enjoy how much better you feel and how much more successful you are as a result of getting rid of these things.

About the Author

Anne Bachrach, The Accountability Coach, helps financial professionals work less, make more money, and enjoy a more balanced and successful life. Through her proven systems, she inspires her Advisor clients to stay focused and take action on the highest payoff activities that lead to their ultima... More